Waste prevention is by far the most favourable waste management option, if you can prevent waste being produced in the first place you totally avoid the need to dispose of the waste, and indeed the consequential cost of this disposal. Waste minimisation aims to eliminate waste before it is produced and reduce its quantity and toxicity. Prevention is the primary goal, followed by reuse, recycling, treatment and appropriate disposal. Where the production of waste cannot be avoided, waste minimisation is your next best option.

It appears that as our economy improved and we became more affluent the more waste we created, and our Throw Away Culture has resulted in the quantities of household waste increasing significantly over the last number of years. Now that economic conditions have changed in Ireland, will this result in a decrease in the amount of waste we create and send to landfill?

Municipal waste comprises household waste, commercial / industrial waste and even street cleansing waste, which because of its nature and composition is similar to household waste.

According to the EPA Website National policy (Changing Our Ways), published in 1998, set out targets over a 15-year period to reach a recycling rate of 35% of municipal waste by 2013. However this target was achieved in 2008 when 37.5% per cent recovery was achieved. A revised target to present new challenges and build on this success is required, and in hindsight the target figure of 35% would now appear to have been under ambitious.

Future progress can only be made by prioritising actions and policies to further reduce waste, to increase waste recycling, divert waste from landfill, improve attitudes to waste prevention and by improving waste management infrastructure both locally and nationally. These policies need to:

It would appear that the majority of households in Newbridge now have a Green Bin collection, and there are in excess of 1,800 bring centres and Civic Amenity Sites nationally. Newbridge has a number of bring centres – the main ones are located in Dunne’s, Tesco’s, and Lidl, where you can recycle cans and glass, with individual collection points for clothes etc. in other locations around the town. There is no Civic Amenity Site in Newbridge; could a population of in excess of 20,000 people support a Civic Amenity Site?

The increased recycling that is now taking place has sprung from the realisation that waste is an issue for everyone, what you throw away will now cost you in the pocket as the Refuse Service Providers introduce a “pay by weight” system of paying your bill. Cleaning up waste is also a drain on scarce resources which could be better spent enhancing your environment; whereas waste prevention and recycling will save you money and result in a cleaner environment.

What practical action can you take at home, or in the workplace:

Backyard Burning while seen by some people as “normal” , backyard burning of waste is probably the single biggest source of dioxins released into the Irish environment. Backyard Burning is now illegal and if you notice it happening in your locality you should contact your Local Authority and report it. While some may see Backyard Burning as cheap method of disposing of waste it will have a lasting effect on your health and the health of your children as it will result in the release of toxic pollutants directly into the air without treatment or filtering. Some of the toxins released are Dioxins, Furans, Volatile Organic Compounds, Carbon Monoxide, some of these are known to cause cancer, and some can lead to kidney and liver failure.